RV Waste Tank Tips: How the Waste Water Valve Works

The RV waste tank is a crucial component when it comes to enjoying yourself out on the road. After all, a properly maintained RV waste tank will make for a much cleaner, odorless, and more peaceful trip.

You can locate the RV waste tank in various spots throughout an RV based on the size of the rig, and the requirements of the waste and water removal systems are usually located on your vehicle. While the location of RV waste tanks may vary, the dump valves or dump station will always be located on the driver’s side of the vehicle. This is designed to keep the odor, smell, and mess that can be associated with dumping the tanks away from the patio or entertaining side of the rig.

The valve is a key component in the removal of grey water (shower and sink runoff) and black water (all the other stuff) from your RV waste tank. The waste water valve is essentially a sliding door that keeps water from rushing through as soon as you open the bayonet. This simple mechanism makes the waste removal process cleaner and more organized.

The grey water and black water tanks have their own separate waste water valves. Some models with multiple tanks have a valve for each tank which requires opening several valves for both grey and black water. Others have a single valve that dumps all the black water tanks and all the gray water tanks. It’s important to locate the individual valves for your model.

One tip that most seasoned RV owners have found the hard way is to drain the black water tanks first, then the gray. The gray water is cleaner and helps clean the drain hose making final clean up easier.